1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a steering system for vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to a steering system for a vehicle with a front wheel and a rear wheel, of the type which includes a front wheel steering mechanism for steering the front wheel according to a steering operation of a driver and a rear wheel steering mechanism for steering the rear wheel according to a travelling state of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
There have already been proposed various steering systems for vehicles with front wheels and rear wheels, such as four-wheeled motor vehicles; an exemplary steering system of this type being disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,594. Each such steering system includes a front wheel steering mechanism for steering the front wheels at an angle in accordance with a steering operation of a driver of the vehicle and a rear wheel steering mechanism for steering the rear wheels at an angle in accordance with a travelling state of the vehicle.
By virtue of such a steering system, both the turning characteristics and the steering responsiveness of vehicles can be greatly improved.
Generally, vehicles such as four-wheeled motor vehicles have the attendant problem that, when a decelerating operation is performed while turning, especially when beginning turning, the vehicle tends to have decreased lateral forces of the rear wheels thereof, thus resulting in a fish-tailing motion or the like.
Moreover, for an accelerating operation to be performed during turning travel of such vehicles, particularly in the latter half thereof, a desideratum has developed for facilitating the accelerating operation during turning travel, such as along a blind curve.
The present invention effectively overcomes such difficulties associated with conventional steering systems for vehicles, while fulfilling the aforesaid desideratum.